Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee cast a tinge of doubt over the ruling BJP’s record win in Uttar Pradesh. Banerjee said it wasn’t a popular mandate but victory attained with the help of “election machinery and central forces and agencies”.
“Through use of election machinery and central forces and agencies they have won and few states and now they are jumping around. They playing a kettle drum but they cannot make music. For music you need a harmonium,” she said here at a news briefing on Friday.
“You say BJP has won in UP. If you calculate properly, Akhilesh has increased vote per cent. Akhilesh has increased seats and BJP reduced seats. There were complaints about EVM machines. A DM (Varanasi’s Additional District Magistrate) has been suspended. Akhilesh has been made to lose. Akhilesh should not be depressed. He should go to the people and ask for forensic study of EVMs. They have not got a popular mandate; this is machinery mandate,” the CM added.
